Playtime Articles

Almost all toddlers feel a sense of security and contentment when their parents show great interest in their explorations. So, a game that will help to build and enhance the level of security of the toddlers with that of their parents is shadow your child. So, follow your child wherever she goes and act like her shadow. One of the most famous game that you must have also played during your childhood is to bend down on your knees and hands to pretend like a horse and follow your little one all around the house. Your toddler will surely have loads of fun to have your around acting just like her. Kids love to see bubbles both big and small. So, keep a variety of different bubble pipes and bubble wands &blow the bubbles of different sizes and let your toddler try to catch them all. However, make sure that your child does not take hold of the bottle comprising of the bubbles’ solution as there are likely chances that she might drink it, which is hazardous. Let’s play peek-a-boo! Keep on playing variations of peek-a-boo with your child, even though you may have been playing this evergreen game for a couple of years already! Hold your little one firmly in your arms and spin around two to three times, while simultaneously singing “I spin my baby around and around!” now, slowly and gradually slow down your speed of spinning to regain the body balance. Firmly hold your child in your lap just like an infant and roll her up and down, towards your face and over & over again, respectively. This movement will make you feel like you are lifting weights and your toddler shall surely love and laugh over this game. Clap-clap-clap your hands is another simple yet an interesting game that your child will surely love to play. Since your toddler can open her hands wide open but it may take her time before she claps independently. So, till then, hold her hands and clap them together for her, or let her hold your hands while you pat them together. Push me, pull you is yet another fun toddler game that will help your child to pull herself up and practice with a push-pull game. Let your child take the support of an object that is stable and firm such as a plastic box filled with soft toys etc. While she holds the edges of the box for support, you can be rest assured that the box shall remain stable. Then slowly, pull the box towards you to encourage her to step forward. Put your toddler in your arms on the bed and then roll her from left to right while singing, “Sailing..sailing..over the ocean blue.” It will be easier to play this game if you are lying down and you roll your child towards the left and then towards the right side along with singing the song. Children love to hear different sounds. Toddlers love funny words like “zap” and “pop”.So, make funny sounds with your child. You can do this by reading books or listening CD’s that help you with the same.

Roll the Ball- Kids love to play with a ball. So, the basic game that you can play with your toddler using a ball is to sit on the floor with your baby, both on different ends of the room. Now roll the ball towards your baby and then tell her to roll it back towards you. Stack the Blocks- Together with your child stack the blocks and build towers. Help her with stacking the blocks and make her as high a tower as she wants to. If any block falls, then let her pick it up on her own and say ‘come-on, let’s make it again!’ to encourage her. Play Knob Puzzles- Kids enjoy playing with puzzles, especially knob puzzles that are one of the basic forms of puzzles, apt for toddlers to play. So, buy plenty of knob puzzles viz. alphabets, numbers, fruits, vegetables etc. for your child and let her play with them. Make Sand Castles- Since children love to mess around while free-play, so what could be better than playing with sand. Buy variety of plastic cups, buckets, spades, funnels etc. and together with your child make sand castles of different sizes and shapes. Beat the Drum- Music lures children especially the beats of the drum. So, get plastic drums, one each for your toddler & yourself. Now, beat the drum and your child will surely imitate you and do the same with her drum as well. Keep on doing the same and hear her make some interesting music. Playdough Fun- Since colours attract children, so provide colourful playdough to your toddler and let her use her creativity to make different objects. However, to ensure safety and avoid the chance of her inhaling the smell of the usual playdough, buy scented playdough for your child. Also, make sure that your child does not swallow the playdough as it is quiet soft & is harmful for her health. All the aforesaid games develop motor skills both fine as well as gross motor skills. So, play these fun games with your little one while she develops her skills.